1. Field of the Invention
The subject invention relates generally to systems and methods for controlling a transmission of a vehicle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various systems and methods for controlling a transmission of a vehicle are known in the prior art. Modern transmission systems typically include microprocessor-based controllers that receive inputs from a variety of switches of sensors and provide outputs that control the transmission accordingly. For instance, a controller may accept inputs from a shift lever which is operated by the driver of the vehicle to correspond to the desired operating mode of the transmission (e.g., Park, Reverse, Neutral, Drive, etc.) and a speed sensor which senses the speed of the vehicle. The controller may then change the operating mode of the transmission based on the input from the shift lever and the speed sensor. Therefore, the controller can prevent damage to the transmission, for example, by preventing a shift in the transmission from “Drive” to “Reverse” while moving forward at a high rate of speed.
Typically, an indicator is mechanically interlocked with the shift lever to show the desired operating mode. However, in systems such as described above, a driver may interpret the indicator as the actual operating mode of the transmission, leading to driver confusion. Therefore, there remains a need for a system and method for controlling a transmission that relays accurate transmission operating mode information to the driver of the vehicle.